Israel

Reporter: Now that you’ve had a chance to read the Prime Minister’s remarks at least, do you feel like the speech he gave was appropriate, considering his upcoming elections and the upcoming deadline? And you also talked to other foreign leaders today -- the call on Ukraine. Did Iran come up at all, and are you expecting any signs of support from them vis-à-vis your position versus the Prime Minister?

Reports have surfaced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked to speak to Congress in March. While this normally wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary by normal political means, it strikes ire with the White House as Netanyahu coordinated this visit with House Speaker John Boehner rather than the Obama administration in an effort to win support for sanctions against Iran.

The kidnapping and brutal murders of three Israeli teenagers — the instigating event of this latest cycle of violence between Israel and Palestine — was immediately pinned on Hamas. New information now suggests that while it may have been a rogue cell of Hamas members, the troublesome political organization's leadership probably wasn't responsible for the heinous crime.

The context: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu refused for years to negotiate with the Palestinians until they had a unified government, even when their leader was willing to discuss a two state solution. Then a government did coalesce...but it happened to be the often loathsome Hamas. Netanyahu refused again. Then the Israeli teenagers were kidnapped by members of Hamas. This is the never-ending proof that Benjamin Netanyahu was never serious about the peace process between Israel and Palestine.

With the death toll of Palestinians at 100 and rising fast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is refusing to back off his offensive in Gaza. World leaders are pleading with Israel to tamp down or stop the bombing, but to no avail.

Scarlett Johansson chose her lucrative endorsement deal with SodaStream – roundly criticized for producing its wares in an illegal settlement in occupied Palestine – over her position on the board of the charity OxFam. OxFam gave her an ultimatum, firmly believing one could not both support human rights within the charity and receive payment from a company against whom that charity is fighting.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced a public uproar Monday over the impending release of more than two dozen Palestinian prisoners convicted in deadly attacks as part of a U.S.-brokered package to restart Mideast peace talks.